A Hearth's Warming Birthday
by Crimson Rose97
Summary: Spike tries to get to the bottom why Rachel isn't celebrating Hearth's Warming
1. Prologue: Earth, 20 years ago

The clocks all around struck twelve times, the midnight hour surrounding all. The streets in the concrete city were filled with a blanket of white snow. In a city that never sleeps, even when it's Christmas, there were always people driving around, buying last minute gifts for their love ones.

But one building on the other side of the city, there wasn't any Christmas lights strung around. The second story brick home/dance studio wasn't decked out for the holidays. No cheery music playing, not one smell of cookies that would be left out for the big red man and his tiny eight reindeer drawn sleigh. No sign of anyone celebrating the joyous holiday.

A young girl lay asleep in her bed, hugging her worn out teddy bear close to her chest. Her room was small, almost too small for the growing child; her feet already draped over the edge of the bed. The walls were displayed in many pictures of drawings, covering up the various holes that were in resulted by a fist hitting them. The old mucky shag carpet long lost its softness and was now itchy to the bottom of everyone's feet.

A gentle knock on the door disturbed the girl's sleep, the door slowly creaked open, and walking in was the girl's mother. The mother was almost a perfect reflection of what the daughter would become when she gets older, with her blonde hair gracefully falling over her shoulders and her deep brown eyes casting a look of love for her child. The mother kneeled down next to her daughter's bed and smiled, holding something behind her back.

"Hey there, Doppleganger," the mother whispered to the little girl as the child rubbed her eyes.

"What time is it, mama?" the girl asked her with a yawn.

"Well, to everyone outside, it's Christmas." The mother giggled in response.

"Daddy said that Christmas is canceled this year…because I was bad." The child said sadly. All she did was accidently knocked over a grandfather clock while playing a game called Hide and Clap with her mother.

The mother grunted, "your father may be pieces of shirt-balls, but he doesn't control this wonderful holiday," she then smiled before taking what she had behind her back and showed it to her daughter.

It was a medium size present, shape of a rectangle. It wasn't wrapped with Christmas wrapping, but it had balloons and cake imprinted on the wrapping. "Nor take away our birthday."

The daughter gasped out with joy, sitting up on her bed. "Oh really?"

The mother chuckled, nodding in response. "I got another surprise in the kitchen, and since your father will going to be spending the night with Uncle Tony, you and I have this house to ourselves."

The daughter's grin grew bigger and bigger with that.

Her mother leaned forward to her child and giggled. "And I know you have something for me as well. Go get it then."

"Okay!" The daughter cheered before jumping off the bed and putting on her fuzzy bunny slippers. She kneeled to the ground, reaching under the small bed and grabbed a makeshift scroll. "Got it!" She sat up, holding it in her hands.

"Let's go the kitchen now, shall we?" The mother giggled, waving the daughter's present before leading her out.

The daughter scrambled up from the ground and took off after her mother. She had no idea what her mother had planned, but without her daddy home, it was going to be amazing. The hallway lay narrow, no pictures hung on the walls due to the cramped space. Running past the half-bath that had a flickering light bulb and flies buzzing around it, past the master bedroom which was mostly filled with War memorabilia, days of when her father was in the military till his was dishonorably discharged due to his bad attitude which gotten worse. Past the only picture that was in the home, hung just outside of the hall, was of the Mother, her daughter, and the father taken at the picture place at Walmart.

Taking a turn from the living room, almost tripping over her own two feet, the daughter came to the average size kitchen. On the countertop was a cake, covered in purple and yellow frosting.

The daughter squealed in joy as she ran up to one of the tall stools and climbed up to take her seat. "Cake!"

The mother chuckled, setting the daughter's present down. "It's not done yet. It needs...an artist's touch." She reached over from the stove and held up a bag of blue frosting.

The daughter reached over from the mother and grabbed it. "Draw whatever you want on it." The mother instructed.

The child nodded, holding the bag of frosting. She stood on the stool top carefully to look at the top of the cake. She thought carefully of what to draw before grinning from ear to ear and began drawing on it. The daughter took two minutes to draw her masterpiece and step back from it.

"Ta-da!"

The mother loomed over and saw what the girl drew and smiled. It was of two pony silhouettes, a mama and the baby loving each other and at the edge of it was a feather - or an attempt of a feather.

The mother blinked away a tear before grabbing a candle and a box of matches. "Cake or present."

"Cake!"

"Should've known."

The mother placed the candle in the center of the cake, between the two ponies, striking a match before lighting the candle up. The mother then walked over and hugged her daughter from behind.

And started to sing softly.

"Happy Birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday dear Doppelganger, happy birthday to us." Her voice was a melody, sounds of sweet honey and fine wine came from her lips.

The daughter and the mother in unison blew out the single candle and hugged each other. "Happy Birthday Mommy." The daughter hummed.

"Happy birthday baby girl" The mother said, kissing her head.


	2. Ch 1 - 20 years later, Ponyville

It looked like it was that time of the year again; Hearth's Warming was here once more. The streets were filled with snow. Cheerful ponies rushed around the marketplace trying to find the right gift for their love ones on this wonderful holiday.

Spike the dragon flew across Ponyville to the nearby craft shop. Dressed in his leather jacket, a green plaid shirt and jeans. He wore a red scarf and a fuzzy hat over his spikes and scales and horns. With a satchel full of bits, he went into the craft store and bought every crafting item possible that he could get and came back out with armfulls - and a tail-full of supplies.

He happily hummed as he walked back towards the tree castle. Along his way, he walked past the Carousel Boutique with Sweetie Belle walking out. She blew hot hair to her hands before turning the close sign over to where everypony could see before walking on her merry way.

As much as Spike despises Rarity and hasn't forgiven her for what she did to Rachel, it was strange to see the Boutique closed this early. Normally it would be filled with ponies getting their last minute designs and dresses.

To see the store close was an oddity.

He walked over to Sweetie Belle. "Hey, Sweetie."

"Oh, hi Spike," Sweetie smiled when she saw him. She looked at the bags he has. "Wow, is Twilight going Twily-nanas again?"

Spike chuckled. "When isn't she ever during Hearth's Warming?" He said, shaking his head. "Nah, this is for Rachel."

"All of that is for your girlfriend?" She questioned.

"Well, once i get done with it. I figure since Rachel is an artist and loves crafting little trinkets, I figured what perfect gift is the kind I make for her."

"That's really awesome!" Sweetie grinned. "I bet it's going to rock."

 _You and me both,_ Spike thought before sighing. "Um, why is the shop closed?'

Sweetie sighed, shaking her head. "Rarity has been losing a lot of clientele lately. Just the other day she lost Sapphire Shores."

"Seriously? She's one of Rarity's biggest supporters. She just up and left?"

"Yeah… Rarity hasn't been doing well with her designs. All of them went from stunning, to down right pukage. My attempt at a dress is better than her work. So much so that she had a nervous break and checked herself in a mental ward at the hospital." Sweetie explained.

"Oh shit." Spike said.

"So until she gets back, i'm going to meet up with Apple Bloom and both of us are going to stay with Scootaloo for this Hearth's Warming." Sweetie said before smiling. "Have fun crafting." she giggled before walking off.

Spike watched the 16 year old leave before chuckling himself, looking down at the bags at hand. He already bought everypony a gift ahead of time. All he wanted to do was work his present for Rachel.

Hopefully before she comes to Ponyville which she arrives in three days.

He hoped.

Sheesh, he didn't know he was such a procrastinate, even towards the most amazing woman in his life.

Wasting time, Spike raced back to the castle to get started.

Once inside his room, Spike dumped all of the crafting materials on the floor. One of them being a tub of pink glitter exploded when it hit the hard crystal floor. It covered Spike head to toe in glitter.

He let out a cough and more glitter poofed out of his mouth. "Way to go, numbnuts." Spike grunted, shaking his whole body to try and shake the glitter off of him.

As he tried to shake it off, his phone started to ring a ballad love rock ringtone. The perfect tone for his special someone.

Spike dug out his phone and swiped the green button. He sees Rachel chatting in facetime.

"Hey there big guy." Rachel said before seeing Spike and snickered, covering her mouth. "Um… why do you look like one of the twins after they come home from work?"

"Did you just compared me to a pair of strippers?" Spike grinned. "I'm willing to do a show just for you." He said before wiping the glitter off his chest.

Rachel laughed, a hand placed on her head and shook it. "Don't get me started."

Spike giggled before he noticed what she was wearing. Rachel was wearing a black sweater and sweatpants. The room was dimmed but he could see logs on the wall. Not like the grey walls filled with art he's used to seeing in her room.

More importantly, and probably a good thing, he doesn't see her creepy ass plushie collection.

"Um...where are you?" Spike asked, narrowing his eyes at her new surroundings.

"Nothing for you to worry about." Rachel sighed softly. "Spike… there's no way to bring this up, it's not easy, given how much you want me to come to Ponyville for Hearth's Warming-"

"Oh I can't wait for you to show up." Spike grinned, cutting her off. "I have everything planned and ready upon your arrival."

Rachel frowned. "Spike...I'm not coming."

Spike froze at that. 'Huh?"

Rachel sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm sorry Spike. I'm truly am, but I won't be able to come over for Hearth's Warming. I got a lot of things going on and I need to do this alone."

Spike's ears and his wings drooped to the floor. It pushed the cluttered supplies to the side. "Oh-oh?"

"I'm sorry, big guy. I'll be there on New Years." rachel said.

"But...not on Hearth's Warming…" Spike said sadly.

"I'm sorry, I'm truly am. Don't let my absence deter your holiday festivities."

"It will without you…"

Rachel kissed her screen as if it was to kiss him. "I'm sorry. I already sent my presents to you guys. Happy Hearth's Warming, Spike. I'll see you later."

Spike sighed sadly. "Love you."

"Love you too."

They hung up. Spike fell flat on his butt. "Rachel's not coming…" Spike said, letting the realization hit him.

He was going to spend the holidays without her.

Spike emerged downstairs in the kitchen. Pinkie Pie and Twilight were in there baking sweets ahead of schedule.

"Hi Spike!" Pinkie Pie chirped as she stirred in a bowl rapidly, making some sort of batter.

"Hey there." Twilight said.

Spike leaned against the arch way of the kitchen with a sad expression. "Rachel's not coming." he announced.

The girls stopped their baking and turned to him with a gasp.

"She's not coming?! Why isn't she coming to your first Hearth's Warming as a couple?! Is she sick?" Pinkie asked, bouncing over to him.

"Is she sick? I found a load of soup recipes, each will take care any case of the Cold or flu." Twilight said, levitating a book of recipes. "All of which we can send to her personally. If Rachel can't come, we go to her."

Spike shook his head. "Rachel isn't sick...or at least I don't think so." He said. "She has some stuff to take care of and wants to do it alone."

Twilight hummed, rubbing her chin. "Maybe she's celebrating her human holiday. Christmas I think it's called."

"Christmas?" Pinkie raised a brow at that strange word. "What traditions does this holiday have?"

Twilight teleports the three of them to the library. She flew up to the top shelf, grazing along the many books before finding the right one. "Ah hah, there you are. _Earth's Holidays and Traditions_."

She flew down and flipped through the book. "All Hallow's Eve, Thanksgiving, _Dia Los Muertos_ , Easter, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa - HAH! Found it, Christmas!" She shows it to the two who peered over and looked.

"Christmas and Christmas Eve is a time of joyous celebration and family," Twilight started as she reads.

"Like Hearth's Warming!" Pinkie chirped.

"It's a celebration of a young boy who was born from a virgin woman who gave birth to him in a barn. Three Kings who have traveled from afar bestowed the baby presents. That's only one part of the story." Twilight said, pointing to the picture where they saw the picture of the baby boy, his mother and father under the North Star. She then turned the page and shown them a big ol jolly man in a red suit and a long white beard with tiny reindeer. "Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, is a magical man who lived in Earth's North Pole. He owned eight flying reindeer who pulls this sleigh, has a workshop where elves work to make all sorts of toys. His abilities learning which child is nice or naughty, he tends to check it twice. If the child is nice, he gives them a gift."

"What about the naughty?" Pinkie Pie asked, eating some popcorn as she listens.

Spike listened as well, curious about the fat man.

"But...if you're naughty," Twilight turned the page and all three of them gasped. The jolly old man turned in a ferocious creature with long black nails, clothes bloody and had horns. Even his bag was bloody. "Santa changes in a creature called Krampus. He takes the naughty children, stuffs them in a bag and takes them away into the night, never to be seen again."

Pinkie Pie's pink colors drained to white. "I gotta make sure I don't get stuffed!" She screamed before running off to spread more good cheer. And to board up her home for the night.

Spike reached over and closed the book. "I'm already terrified of my girlfriend's plushies, I don't need to be scared by her human holidays." He said before sighing. "I don't think she's celebrating that either. When we talked, she wasn't in her room, I think she's in a cabin somewhere."

"Well, does she have a cabin?" Twilight asked.

Spike shrugged. "She never told me, so I don't know." He sighed. "Something's wrong and i want to know."

"Well, the only way to learn is if you go to Fillydelphia and see for yourself." Twilight suggested before taking the book back to it's shelf.

Spike pondered over at that. "That's not a bad idea really."

"Huh?" Twilight turned to ask if he was really going through with it…

But the dragon's already gone. Spike quickly grabbed his to-go bag, his bits and took the first train out of Ponyville.


	3. Ch 2

Spike arrived at Filly sometime the next day. Like the bustling streets of Manehattan, the streets were crowded with busy ponies rushing about.

With a strong flap of his wings, Spike took to the skies and soar across the tall buildings. He flew across the night sky, the city below were oblivious to notice the dragon flying above. Seamlessly blending into the dark clouds, high above the festive lights.

Since Spike figured that Rachel wasn't at the apartment, he flew downtown towards the Prancing Pon-E where the twins worked.

The strip club was chalked full of lonely stallions and other males who don't have anyone to spend Hearth's Warming and few had hoped to take one of ht sexy strippers home with them.

It was the first time Spike been in there alone without his girlfriend - Rachel tends to lose her keys and had to go to the twins's job to go and borrowed one of their keys, and she actually allowed him to look at the dancers while she gets the key (because it's hard not to), but since Spike's on a personal mission, he's super focus that he doesn't even look at the nude dancers.

He walked towards one of the main catwalks and automatically spotted Gemcity working on the pole. Spike cleared his throat before walking towards her. "Hey Gem." spike called out for her over the loud music.

"Oh! Hey Scales!" Gem grinned as she grinds against a pole. Wearing a festive sexy costume to catch the other stallion's eye and money. "What are you doing here?"

"Can we talk?" Spike asked.

"Oi! I just paid for her!" a pegasus drunkenly snapped, glaring at Spike.

"Can't talk, I'm about to feed soon. Ruby's in the dressing room. She's on break." Gem said before looking at the gent. She blew him a kiss, which sent a pink dusting at his face.

The pony stiffens up and his eyes turned pink.

"Calm down, baby. We play soon." Gem seductively cooed to her now sex-driven minion.

Spike sighed, silently given her a thanks before moving towards the back rooms. After sparing a few bits to a greedy griffon bouncer, he made his way to the dressing rooms. A few girls were reapplying their makeup along a huge mirror that stretched fifty feet across along the wall.

He goes straight for the purple unicorn who was actually topless, muttering something to herself.

Wow...Spike just realized that he's spend so much time with Rachel and the twins that seeing them in their work mode - stripping, dancing and mostly naked, doesn't phase him… He automatically keep his eyes up to their face.

Ruby glanced up at the mirror and saw Spike as she applied more pink lipstick. When she turned towards him - though he's used to seeing them like this, he still turned his head around to give them a moment to cover themselves at least some level of decency.

After a few moments, she said, "you can turn, lover boy." Ruby teased.

Spike turned back to see Ruby wearing a rather skimpy bra that was so small it could barely conceal her enormous breasts.

Ruby sighed, looking up at him from her chair. "From the way you're here and not back home means you're here for Rachel."

Spike nodded and surprised a bit that she or her sister could guess why he's here for a reason.

"I came to ask if she's okay?" Spike asked her. "I know she's not at the apartment and I figured-"

"Can't help you there, bud." Ruby told him deadpan.

Spike sputters at that. "W-w-what?"

Ruby sighed, her hooves swinging off the chair. "Rachel is dealing something that she wants to take care of. She gets upset every time we ask what's wrong."

"So you don't know where she ended up?" Spike asked with a raised brow.

"Oh we know where she is. We're her sisters, she doesn't go anywhere without us knowingly."

"And I guess you aren't gonna tell me?"

"Nah." Ruby said.

"Did she tell you why she didn't come to Ponyville?"

"Nope."

Spike just made a face. "Well this is pointless…"

"Sorry buddy, Gemmy and I can't help. If Rachel wants to be alone, let her be."

Spike facepalmed. "I'm her boyfriend, I'm worried about her, I should at least know why isn't she celebrating Hearth's Warming?" He lowered his hand and stuffed it in his pants pocket. "Doesn't she like the holiday? Is she celebrating her human version? Throw my a fucking gem?"

Ruby tsked. "I gotta perform. Hearth's Warming is one of our busiest time of the year. Can't help you." She stood up, grabbing her breasts and adjusted herself. "Sorry, can't help you, Happy Holidays." She grinned before walking out.

Spike growled deeply. "So much for their help." He said, pinching the bridge of his snout with his free hand.

Twins are defilently hiding something. Something was telling him that they are hiding her on purpose - it wouldn't be the first time they did it to him.

He left the club and walked down the icy sidewalk. His annoyance and a tiny bit of anger was seeping out of him to the point the ice below Spike's feet melt as he walked.

Spike goes over what he does know: Rachel isn't at the apartment, the background from where video chat looked like it was wood - so she's in some sort of cabin. Cabin means she's in the woods. The only stretch of woods that was near Filly was the Evergrove National. A stretch of forest that's longer than the Everfree Forest, and more terrain so trying to go out there blindly to be only led by scent would be like finding an apple stem in a barrel of hay.

He fixed his scarf before his feet came towards the surprisingly lit up bar Rachel worked. Lunar Providence. Spike spotted the bar's owner, the short blue and orange spotted unicorn wearing a festive ugly sweater - King - tending to his wife and ten kids.

It was worth a shot.

Spike walked up to the glass door and tapped gently on the door.

The tiny stallion soon walked up to it and grunted. "Hey there, Spike. What are you doing out here? It's Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Looking for Rachel." Spike told him honestly.

"Ah." King grunted. He used his green aura magic to unlock the door and opened it for him. "Well get in, no use of freezing your testies off in this freezing cold."

"Thanks." Spike nodded before coming in as one of King's children shattered something.

"Sweet Celestia, could you please keep an eye on the kids for five minutes, Marry?" King asked the also tiny earth pony wearing matching ugly sweaters. "Need to have a talk with the boy here."

"I'm trying dear." Marry said before going over to them.

"Got a handful?" Spike asked, raising a brow at the mess.

"You're telling me." King chuckled, hopping on top of the bar. He used his magic to levitate a couple of glasses before holding up a bottle of Cider. "It's family friendly cider." He offered to Spike.

Spike nodded as he took a seat on one of the stools. He took his hat and scarf off and placed them on the bar as the small unicorn fixed him a drink.

"Ya know, the twins called about thirty minutes ago to tell me you were coming," King mentioned as he slid Spike his drink.

"Lemme guess, they've come to warn you about me? You're not gonna tell me where she is either?" Spike grunted before taking a long pull of the cider. It wasn't like Applejack's cider but it was ok.

"Yeah, but since they don't work for me, I don't have to do shit." King snorted, taking a drink himself

"Language, King." Marry scolded him from somewhere in the bar.

"Yes dear." King grumbled something under his breath before turning back to the dragon.

"So...you're gonna tell me where she is?" Spike perked up.

"Nope."

Spike frowned.

"Don't give me that look. If I knew where she goes on Hearth's Warming, I'd tell ya 'cause you rock her world big time."

Spike drank all of the cider. "Is there any pony who can tell me why Rachel isn't celebrating Hearth's Warming?"

"Easy there, champ. As soon as the twins called and I didn't know where she was, i put in a call to Rachel's Emergency contact."

Spike raised both brows. "Gemcity and Ruby are not Rachel's contact?"

"Rachel has three. Two of them obviously the strippers, Brimstone is the other. He'll be here very soon. So just hang tight."

Spike blinked at that. "Who the fuck is Brimstone?" The name sounded familiar but he couldn't put a claw to it.

Just by cue, a tall stallion came knocking. Spike and King turned to the door and saw the tall red stallion, his mane was silver with it slick back and tied, he had a patch over his right eye with his other eye as black as coal. Dressed in a gray trench coat and slacks.

King used his magic to open the door for the stallion. "Brimstone, good to see your old ass again." he grinned.

Brimstone cleared his throat as he walked in, dusting the snow off his shoulders. Something about him was intimidation. The way he carried himself with confidence, his single eye studying Spike as if he was being judged.

Spike's eyes widened. He knew who he was now, Rachel talked about him all the time. The first pony she ever met during the Settlement trial, the one pony whom almost made Rachel not even pass to come to Equestria.

The living Lie Detector...Professor Brimstone...


	4. Ch 3

The elder stallion grunted at King's arrogant introduction. "As always, it's lovely to hear your...charming voice." His accent was a bit posh and light. Which in fact surprised Spike 'cause he always pictured the pony with an imitating voice to match his posture.

Brimstone walked over to the bar and sat down next Spike as the miniature pony slid him a glass of Cider while refilling Spike's.

Spike just sat up when he walked over to him. The stallion looked at Spike before seeing the dragon putting a hand out to him. "It's nice to finally meet you, Rachel told me alot about you."

Brimstone nickered softly, looking at Spike before he grabbed the drake's hand and shook it. "Likewise, Mr. Spike." He cleared his throat before letting go of his hand and reached over and took his glass and drank it. "Now, since I have some holiday business to attend to, let's get on with it, shall we?"

Spike blinked at that. Rachel did mention before that Professor Brimstone was the kind of pony that didn't dally around and cut to the chase. What she failed to mention that he acted like he had some sort of stick up his flank.

"O-okay." Spike said with a level of uncertainty before shaking his head. "I'm looking for Rachel. The twins, Ruby and Gemcity won't tell me where she is, King here doesn't know where she is-"

"I don't ask, she don't tell, don't blame me." King snorted. He waited for his wife and kids weren't looking before grabbing one of the brandies underneath the bar, popped the top and gave it a big chug.

Brimstone scuffed, seeing the unicorn drinking. "I honestly have no idea why would she be working in this establishment with her many talents." He muttered under his breath, assuming that it was Rachel he was talking about.

"Oh no," King spat, putting the bottle down. "I am not having this conversation, Rach seems perfectly happy to be working for me."

Spike rose a brow as the two got into a little spat. "Um?"

King sighed, seeing Spike confused. "Brimstone, as much as I would love to talk about the placement of the girl, the boy here is the reason why I called."

"Right," Brimstone grunted before looking at Spike. "Well?"

"Rachel, wondering where she is?" Spike asked. "Why didn't she come to spend Hearth's Warming with me? Those type of questions."

The stallion narrowed his one eye at Spike. "She didn't tell you, I see."

"No pony has been telling shit."

"Hmph," Brimstone grunted before taking a drink of the cider. "Rachel's always been the one to hold back information, especially around the holidays. It's one of the reasons why I almost never allowed her to pass over to this world from the human world."

"She told me that." Spike said. "Sir, please tell me something? I love Rachel and if something's up, I wanna be there for her."

Brimstone studied Spike for a moment before sighing. The corners of his lips creaked as if he rarely smiled. It was very unsettling to Spike that he almost scooted away from him.

"First off," said Brimstone, an arm resting on the bar, "Rachel loves the holiday, she just don't celebrate it."

"Why?" Spike asked confused.

Brimstone sighed then, "She doesn't celebrate Hearth's Warming - or her human equivalent to that, is because she was born on that day."

Spike straightened up, looking at the two unicorns. King was chuckling, taking another swig of brandy while Brimstone waited for a response.

"Her birthday is tomorrow?" Spike asked, as if he couldn't believe it. Then again, the more he thought about it, it made sense. "She's a Hearth's Warming baby." Spike almost felt like smiling 'cause it's one of the amazing days to be born in.

"Don't smile just yet, my boy." King said, looking at him. "You don't know the whole story."

"And you do?" Brimstone looked at the tiny unicorn.

"I do extensive background checks on all of my employees, thank you very much." King scuffed at the tall stallion's brash against him. "One on one interviews. One of them Rachel and I sat down and we talked about this."

"Excuse me, but are you two brothers or related to each other one any way?" Spike asked, seeing the two squabble.

"Fuck no!" Both stallions said in unison.

"We both just want what's best for Rachel." King said.

"I want what's best for the child, she was 15 when she crossed over. And spending late nights slaving over a crummy bar is a waste of her talents." Brimstone grunted.

One thing Spike did remember from what Rachel told him that Brimstone does treat her as if she was his child as the years went on. They did gotten close to have that relationship.

"Hey! I allow her to sell her paintings over there and make a profit, you don't' have that chip in her head ya-"

"King! Bed, now!" Marry called up from upstairs to the living area.

King annoyingly sighed and tossed a set of key to Spike. "Lock up when you two get done and put the keys in the plant pot outside."

Spike nodded. He said goodnight to King before seeing the small unicorn walked up the stairs.

Brimstone shook his head, rubbing the temples of his head with his fingertip. "Gods help me." He muttered before looking at Spike.

He sighed softly. "The reason this holiday upsets her because it's also her mother's birthday. Due to the horrid living arrangement with her bastard father, they would celebrate their birthdays on midnight. When her mother died, she celebrated on her own alone and it makes her upset. She didn't want to intrude anyone on their holiday so she takes off till New Years."

"I figured they were close...but both being born on that day is rare."

"It's a rarity, but Spike, she believes that she has to celebrate this on her own...I don't believe that." Brimstone said. "Though being surrounded by the ones who love her, she still feels alone." He dug into his trench pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the bar. The professor slid it over to Spike.

Spike looked at him before grabbing the paper and turned it over and looked at it. It was a photograph of a woman and her young daughter. Spike almost mistaken the mother as Rachel 'cause she looked stunningly like her, but it wasn't. He turned the photo over and saw the writing. _Darline and Rachel Lockhart_. The background was snowing, both were dressed in winter clothing.

"Whenever I met an interesting human, I'd ask them for a photo, a photo say a lot about them." Brimstone said as he stood up. "Rachel was at her happiest when that photo was taken. After what she told me about her father and how helpless she was...I couldn't let the child go back to that hellhole."

Brimstone grabbed a napkin and pen over the bar and scribbled down something on it. "Rachel is in my old cabin. I gave it to her as a 21st birthday present."

"Why?" Spike asked, looking at him.

"I have a son who won't be out of prison till he's seventy-seven years old, my daughter doesn't like the outdoors and I pretty much live at my job." Brimstone explained before sliding the napkin, containing the location for Rachel's whereabouts and the Cabin. "Spike, there is something I need for you to do when you confront her."

"Anything." Spike said as he stood up, grabbing the napkin from the bar at the process.

"Of all of the presents and gifts she's been showered over the years while she've lived her, give her the one gift she truly needs." Brimstone said. "Gifts can be bought or made, jewelry don't mean anything to her...give her one that will make her truly happy."

Spike nodded. "Will do. Thank you for this…"

"Good luck, my son." Brimstone said before taking one last drink and walked out.

Spike eyed at the photo and the napkin. He didn't have time to make a gift for Rachel since he came. He pondered what the stallion just told him. He thunk and pondered till he couldn't no more.

When the neon sign above the bar lit up, an idea came to mind. Spike pulled out his phone quickly and made a few quick calls.

Midnight's approaching, he'll have to be quick.


	5. Ch 4

After following Brimstone's directions, Spike soon came to a small clearing in the Evergrove National forest. The cabin was small, smoke was coming out of the chimney, the dark maple grooves of the wood was visible from the light of the full moon.

Beside from the moon, the only light that shined through the freezing darkness was coming from the window.

Spike stood near a tree just ten feet from the cabin and he already could see what it looked like from inside. A roaring fire was on, in front of it were two chairs and a coffee table, a festive tree was pushed to one corner of the home. The other corner had a piano. He spots the corner of the bed from he saw where he was at. There was two other doors in there - he could assume one of them was the bathroom and the other a closet.

And near the window, sitting on some sort of dining table, was a purple and yellow frosted cake.

Rachel walked out of the bathroom, wearing a black sweater, a pink shirt and a green pair of sweatpants with snow boots.

She was about to walk over to the table when she looked up and gasped, seeing Spike outside. Rachel walked out of view for a moment before the front door opened, now wearing a blue scarf, hugging herself from the blast of cold, she walked outside.

Spike walked up to meet her half way.

"Hey…" Rachel said softly, she was both surprised….and not surprised at the same time to see Spike here.

"How are you feeling?" Spike asked, looking at her to make sure she was okay. So far she wasn't tearing up.

"Good...freezing my butt off but I'm good...I'm guessing either the twins told you where I was at or Brimstone."

Spike chuckled softly. "I met him. You were right, he does act like he has a stick up his flank."

Rachel chuckled as well. "That's Professor Brimstone alright."

The dragon sighed, walking up to her all the way. He slipped his leather jacket off and put it over her shoulders. "Let's go inside, it's too cold."

Rachel nodded before leading him inside of the cabin and closed the door behind him.

"How much do you know?" Rachel asked as she took his jacket and draped it over one of the chairs that was right in front of the table.

"I got the jist of it." Spike said as he took his winter items off of him and tossed them on the table near the cake. "I know it's your birthday tomorrow, you . You celebrate it with your mother and since her death you felt compelled to do it by yourself."

Rachel sighed deeply, pulling her a seat. "I see…"

Spike nodded before looking around the tiny cabin since he was inside. Pictures, he saw pictures of her and her mother all around the cabin. From when they went skiing, to learning how to cook, having paint sessions, dance recitals. Next to the bed, he spotted a worn-out guitar. He did spot a fridge and a stove that wasn't in the window's view.

"My little sanctuary when I feel like I'm in a dark place. I come out here." Rachel said, watching Spike looking at the place. "Brimstone gave it to me as a birthday present."

"Yeah, he told me." Spike said, dragging the other dining chair over to her and sat down next to Rachel. "Rachel, why didn't you tell me? I would've understand and I wouldn't go across Equestria and all over Filly to get to the truth."

"I know...and I thought of telling you." Rachel said. "I just…"

"Got used to doing the same damn thing over and over again and is too stubborn to change it."

That got Rachel to crack a smile. "Look who's talking, big guy."

Spike chuckled softly, reaching over and grabbed her hands and held them in his. "I get you want to have your own hide-away. You've seen mine underneath Twilight's castle."

"Oh I know."

Spike smiled softly. "I want to know everything about you, birthdays included. You keep things to yourself and it's not good. Yeah, we all have secrets...but i want to know yours, I want get closer to you. But in order to do so, you have to let me in."

Rachel sniffed, trying to blink away the tears before looking up at him. "My mom...she was an amazing woman. Despite being married to an abusive man, she would try and fill our home with laughter and smiles. Even when she would have us sneak off to get away from him, she would make the best of it."

Spike nodded and listened in silence.

"Growing up back home, if i were to make any mistake near the holidays, dad would cancel it, taking all decorations off and left our home in the dark. Even if he doesn't cancel it, he'd be out drinking, leaving my mom and I alone. Mom would bake a cake, using leftover halloween frosting every year to use it as our birthday present. Every year around that time, she'll call me Doppleganger due to the fact we look so much alike." She shuddered softly. "When she died, I felt alone...you knew how bad my life gotten after that and i left."

"Yeah...you did."

"After a couple of years of living with the twins, I realized that i didn't have any pictures, any belongings from her. Around this time, my only time I went back home."

Spike's eyes widened at that, hearing that she went back to him...even for a moment.

Rachel cleared her throat before continuing. "When I came back home, i came to discover that the man got remarried and given birth to my little brother." she let out a humorless chuckle. "He may repaint and refurbish his life and gotten better, but under that mask, the bastard was the same and there was proof. Same injuries I saw on his new wife like my mother did. I couldn't tell you how angry I was, seeing that history was being repeated. He was so pissed off that I came back, telling me that he burned everything relating to me and my mother. When I didn't back down he attacked me, broke my wrist in the process. As i tried to fight him off, my little brother - I don't know his name but he looked just like me but with blue eyes - that four year old, takes a metal bat the old man tended to use and wacked him on the head."

"Oh shit."

Rachel chuckled, "the wife and I were congratulating the little shit." she said, shaking her head. "The wife then gave me a box of items from the basement that had my mother's belongings, telling me thanks for sticking up to him and then told me to never come back." She said with a smile. "It felt good that night, I felt like i conquered my demons, I got my mother's things"

Spike smiled softly, leaning over and gave her a kiss. "I'm glad."

Rachel returned it to him and sighed. "Yeah, though old habits die hard."

He poked her tummy.

Rachel got up and walked over to the piano, grabbing a book from it and waved Spike over to her.

Spike got up and walked over to her and sat on the bench next to her. Spike looked at Rachel as she showed him the book. It was a book of songs, some were lyrics and a few were piano sheets with lyrics. "My mom was, not only a dance teacher, but before she had her dancing shoes, she was a musician. She wrote amazing music, her voice...my god, she had a voice of an angel. You wouldn't believe how amazing she was."

"Only i could imagine." Spike said. He then noticed the last song of the book. "Have you heard every song she sang?"

"Well, only one." She said as she pointed to the last song. "I have been trying to get the song right. I got the lyrics down pat, but trying to play on the piano, I can't get it right."

Spike smiled at that. "It's a good thing I can." He scooted Rachel off the bench to where he got full control of it.

"You would actually do that?" Rachel asked as she stood next to him.

"Anything for you." Spike smiled. _And it'll go surprisingly well for what I plan for you,_ he thought before he grabbed the book from Rachel and read over the piano notes. He did a few test on the piano before he found the right rhythm and looked to Rachel, using her to start.

Rachel looked at him for a moment before taking a sigh. She opened her mouth, and began singing the song.

* * *

Song Spike plays on piano and what I think Rachel's voice is

watch?v=uOZfuwQcw-Y

* * *

Rachel's voice, though it wasn't as beautiful as her mothers, it had that sort of chill and breathtakingly to Spike that he nearly stopped playing. But he persevere and kept playing.

The ballad had a haunting feel to it, with the feels of it just pour out of Rachel's soul as she sung. Though her voice sounded like she could sing in an indie rock band by the way how her voice has that type of gruff to it, but when singing this heartfelt song, her voice fits it perfectly.

Spike continued to play on the piano, listening Rachel sing her heart and soul out. He could feel the love Rachel has towards her mother as she sang this one last song her mother never got to sing before she died. He waited for the twins to make their mark. He asked them to help Spike with this surprise for Rachel.

When he didn't hear Rachel react to anything and kept on singing, he had to admit, he was getting annoyed. The twins said they were going to help though it's their busiest time at work. He stifled a grunt.

When he got to where Rachel wasn't singing by the time he got to the crescendo, he heard Rachel let out a loud, surprised gasp.

Rachel raced over to the window and stood by and saw what was outside. Outside dancing around...was her mother and a younger child version of herself dancing along the snow. Though Rachel could tell that it's the twins - she could always tell which one's which when they are in other forms - her eyes swelled up in tears.

Spike smiled ear to ear as he continued to play. Though she wasn't saying anything about what was happening, he could feel this emotion pouring out of her, tears of joy and love of what she was seeing. It's what she wanted to see, what she needed…

To see her mother again. To see her running, laughing, smiling, to see her mother happy again.

And the look on Rachel's face as she watched this happening, that was Spike's Hearth's Warming from here. Seeing that look on her face was everything he wanted.

Rachel resumed singing but this time her voice had that crack in it just warmed his heart. Spike knew that she was loving her gift.

Spike kept playing along her voice, along that warmth and lovingness she was portraying more. Rachel sang until her voice fell into a whisper at that last note, tears flowing out of her eyes as she turned back to Spike as he stopped.

The twins, after complaining that it's so cold that they might freeze their tits off, changed into their bug forms and flew off.

Rachel looked at Spike as he smiled at her with tears of his own in his eyes. Rachel walked over to him, slid onto his lap, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply.

Spike could taste the saltiness from her tears on her lips and he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her there.

"Spike…" Rachel whispered against his lips.

Spike used his thumbs to wipe the corners of her eyes, wiping the tears as they fell. "Are you happy?" he asked her.

"Spike," Rachel giggled softly. "I never been more happier than the day I met you. This you did with the twins-"

"You knew the twins were out there?" Spike raised a brow at that in a surprise.

"Dude, I lived with them for years, i know that Ruby was my mother and Gemcity was I. I could tell which is which."

Spike chuckled, rubbing the small of her waist. "I should've expected that."

"Regardless, what you did with the twins, it's absolutely amazing. It's the best gift i could ever receive from anyone...I'm glad it was you who did it."

"Just the words I've wanted to hear." Spike said before bringing Rachel in for a hug.

Somewhere, the clock struck twelve. It was Hearth's Warming.

"Happy Hearth's Warming, Spike." Rachel said.

"Happy birthday, Rachel." Spike responded, kissing the crown of her head.

"So...what's with the other girls?" Rachel asked as she sat there with him.

"Twilight going bonkers as always, AJ is getting ready to celebrate with her family," Spike explained. "Starlight is with Trixie, Pinkie I think is boarding up her house for Krampus."

Rachel looked at him confused. "The Evil Santa Claus?"

"Seriously, I'm surprise your earth's holidays are terrifying."

Rachel let out a laugh. "Krampus is what you tell kids in other cultures to behave. He's not real."

"Tell that to Twilight's books."

Rachel shook her head with a laugh.

"Fluttershy is with Soarin and Discord, Dash is celebrating her own way, Rarity's in a mental ward and-"

Rachel raised a hand to that. "Sexy purple teddy bear say what now?"

"Um…?"

"Rarity's in a mental ward? What the hell?" Rachel slid off of Spike's lap. "Why didn't you tell me she was in a ward."

"Um...after you last talked to me, you turned your cell off." Spike said, watching her go to her closet, opening the door and changed into warmer clothes. "What are you doing?"

"We're going to see her." Rachel said as she changed.

Spike blinked at that. "Rachel, are you serious?"

"Yes, I am."

Spike scuffed as he stood up. "After what she did to you at the cruise, you want to visit that psycho?"

"Spike, i wouldn't send my worst enemy to the asylum." Rachel changed into a long sleeve shirt, a fluffy white jacket and thick red snow pants and boots on. Throwing on her typical black beanie, scarf and gloves on. "We're going to see her."

"What's with the we? I don't want to see her. She had a mental break and is taking this time to-"

"Spike, you need to seriously rethink about what your saying." rachel said. "Rarity may have set me up, but she didn't physically harm me. Since she didn't, she has a chance to redeem herself to both of us. She can't do that when she's all alone, especially not on this holiday.

"You don't have to speak to her, you can stay in a corner and let me do the talking. We're going."

Spike stared at Rachel before letting out a defeated growl, grabbing his coat and stuff. The two then set off to see Rarity.


	6. Epilogue

It was a late Hearth's Warming in Ponyville Memorial hospital. The snow gentle fell around the courtyard, lights flashing all around.

In the mental ward, Rarity had mountains of crumpled up paper, filled with drawings of crossed out dress designs.

Her latest drawing was a halter top with a long mermare style skirt. It was simple, she was trying to add that Rarity flair to it. When she couldn't bring that design out, she snarled, taking the paper, crumpled it up and throwing it at a wall as hard as she could.

She scratched her head with a whimper. "I can do this, I can do this." She grabbed another piece of paper and started drawing the same design. She didn't hear the door of her room swing open and a nurse came in.

"Ms. Rarity, you have a visiter." she smiled at the mare.

"NO!" rarity shouted at the nurse. "I told you I don't want any of my friends and little sister to see me like this!" she was in tears, blowing into one of the crossed out dress designs she made.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm one stubborn friend."

Rarity stiffened when she heard Rachel's voice. She and Spike entered the room with a cake in Spike's hands.

"Give us thirty minutes," Rachel told the nurse. The nurse nodded and allowed them inside and closed the door behind them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Rarity asked in surprised.

"We came to see you." Rachel said, getting the cake from Spike. The dragon grunted before going to a corner and stood there watching as Rachel walked over to Rarity and sat on the bed. "It's Hearth's warming."

"I-I'm well aware what day it is." Rarity said as she grabbed her paper and pencil again and started to draw her dress designs.

"Rarity...why are you in here?" Rachel asked calmly.

"I….I," she scratched her mane. "I can't think of anything. M-my designs are trash, my shops are slowly going out of business...i'm losing everything!"

Spike had to admit, seeing Rarity like this, even after what she did at the cruise...she didn't deserve to have all this happened to her.

"I didn't know you were going through a rough time," Rachel said softly, looking at her. She reached over and put a hand over her hands.

Rarity removed her hands away from the human and went back to drawing. "I-I just need to get one design right…."

"Rarity, you can still sew right?"

Rarity turned to Rachel with a raised eye. "Yes...I might be slowly losing my mind but I can still sew."

Rachel sighed. "Then let me help you. How about i draw the designs, you sew them up, have your customers think it's yours until you can get back on your hooves."

"Why? After what I did at the zeppelin, to you?" Rarity asks her.

"Like I told you, I want us to be friends. You didn't physically attacked me, you have a chance. But sweetie, you can't do any of that because you are in the nuthouse." Rachel said with a smile. "You need to work on you before we work on our friendship." She then took the cover off of the cake and looked at Rarity. "Want some?"

Rarity eyed at the cake. "That doesn't look like a Hearth's Warming cake."

Rachel giggled. "'Cause it isn't a Hearth's Warming cake, it's my birthday cake. Today's my birthday."

Rarity smiled softly at that. "You were born on one of the magical days of the year...lucky."

Rachel shrugged at that. "But, before we dig in, this cake needs…" She dug into her pocket and pulled out a bag of blue frosting, "an artist touch." She then hands it to Rarity.

"You...what?" Rarity looked at her confused as she hold the frosting in hand. "I'm not a baker artist, I'm a fashion artist…"

The human giggled. "It's still art nonetheless...please rarity? Do the honors for me?"

Spike watched this, he saw how his girlfriend was to the unicorn. Though he still doesn't want anything to do with Rarity for a while...he was just at awe that Rachel was doing this out of her heart.

Rarity looked at Spike and sighed softly, giving him the same puppy love eyes look that cause Rachel to snap her fingers at her. "Uh, Rares, either you draw on the cake and stop making goo goo eyes on my boyfriend or else that cake is your new dress." There was no way of telling if Rachel was joking to get Rarity to stop looking at Spike or if she was being dead serious.

"Right, sorry," Rarity said, snapping back from looking at Spike and went to work on icing the top of the cake.

After a long ten minutes, the cake design was...childish, but it still was good enough that it gave Rarity confidence. She hands Rachel the cake and icing left and grabbed her pencil and paper and started drawing again.

Not even two minutes later, she drew a very elegant but simple evening gown. "I...I still got it!"

"Baby steps, I'm still gonna help you out...and more." Rachel chuckled, reaching over and grabbing the paper and pencil from her, turning it over to the back and wrote down a phone number. "Rarity, I want you to call this number. The mare's name is Psyiana Colt. She was my therapist - yes one of the twins do have a degree of being a head shrink, but i wouldn't go to her if I need to. This pony here helped me when I was going through my darkness moments during my first few years here in Equestria. She can help you."

Rarity raised a brow. "You saw a therapist?" Rachel nodded in response.

"Everyone has their demons, she helps conquer them. When you get out, give her a call and set up an appointment. I will check to see if you did or not."

Rarity started to tear up as the nurse came back in.

"Sorry folks, visiting hours is up."

"Right." Rachel stood up, leaving the cake on the bed.

"Rachel, your birthday cake." rarity said, watching her.

"You go ahead and eat it, share it with other if you want. I'm good." Rachel smirked. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Rarity, We'll see you soon."

Rarity said her goodbyes before the couple walked out.

"Whoo, that was a trip." Rachel said as she and Spike walked outside. "Now I would like to go back to the cabin, warm up by the fire and get cozy." She looked at the big guy. "You now are able to use the cabin whenever you like."

Spike chuckled before bringing her close into an embrace. "You know what? You are amazing…"

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know anything about-" Spike stopped her by flickign her nose. "Hey!"

He grinned. "I'm serious...You, Rachel Lockhart, are a better person than i am...I got a lot to learn from you."

Rachel giggled before hugging him. "Good thing we got until new years to show you."

"That I do…"

The End


End file.
